I didn't want more controversy with Sir Alex, says Real new boy Heinze

Last updated at 08:02 23 August 2007

Real Madrid have agreed to buy Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze for £6.8m after his dream transfer to Liverpool was blocked by the Premier League.

Heinze, if he passes a medical today, will sign a four-year deal worth about £2.75m a year.

The 29-year-old, who had appealed to the League to let him move to Anfield, said: "It has been complicated. I am convinced my move to Liverpool would have worked out and I believe I had a case and needed to defend my rights. I am grateful for what Rafa Benitez said and tried to do."

It was revealed yesterday that, at this week's Premier League hearing, Crystal Palace chief executive Phil Alexander said his club had been approached with a proposal to secure Heinze's move to Liverpool by initially transferring him to Palace.

But Heinze added: "I didn't want more controversy with Sir Alex Ferguson. It is logical now for me to make this jump. I always said I wanted to leave for one of the big clubs in Europe and Real are one of those."